What I want is to see is the data and conclusions Brad gets from those collected games. That could be very interesting.
First, you teach the AI the fundamentals. That is what is happening now. Then, you let the AI execute the fundamentals with nano-management, a turn by turn examination of every planet, ship, shipyard and starbase. (or whatever database you think needs to be checked) You know your AI is never going to actually be as clever and innovative and reactive as a human, so you use the nano-management as a way to make up for that. That makes a lot of sense to me.
After that comes endless fine-tuning. Dedicated play testing by millions of volunteers would be best. Stardock is using its customer base. This may be Brad's cleverest trick. The present state of AI in general cannot really learn, though they are getting closer to simulating that. Game engines have even more challenges due to smaller code and hardware. So, Brad steps in and does the learning on behalf of the AI and then teaches the AI what he can. And he does what we do, learn by studying the opponent. All this poetic philosophy is then painfully ground into actual code and we get an update.
The only problem is that it takes patience on our part. Forums don't do patience very well. I don't think there is enough notice of what has improved already and how subtle it is. I don't think Stardock gets enough credit for how much work they are actively putting into a difficult and long term project. However, all these ideas, points and conversations are a vital part of the process. Not all of these ides will make it into the final AI, but the mixture of possibilities is where the true strength that Galciv will be lies. Keep it up, folks! Just give Stardock a little credit for what they have done, what they are doing, and that they listen so much to a bunch of 4X crazed fans.
I am so excited by what I have seen so far, but it just makes me more excited about what is to come. I can understand the impatience.
